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Austin Sigg pleads guilty in kidnapping, murder of Jessica Ridgeway

GOLDEN — Nearly one year after 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway disappeared on her way to school, Austin Sigg pleaded guilty on Tuesday in her kidnapping, murder and dismemberment.

A judge accepted the plea, which was entered against the advice of Sigg's attorneys. The plea on just the first-degree murder charge will send him to prison for life with the possibility of parole after 40 years.

A two-day sentencing hearing has been scheduled to start on Nov. 18. Prosecutors said they would argue for consecutive sentences for some charges.

Sigg, 18, pleaded guilty to 15 counts less than 72 hours before opening statements were scheduled to begin in his murder trial.

Sigg stood in dress clothes, with his left thumb in his pocket. Several members of Jessica's family, as well as members of Sigg's family, wore purple — Jessica's favorite color.

Sigg's mother, who called police to turn in her son last year, wept while the judge asked Sigg if there was a factual basis for all of the charges.

"Yes," Sigg said.

Jessica's mother left the courtroom when the judge read some of the graphic details about what Sigg did to her daughter.

Jefferson County District Court Chief Judge Stephen Munsinger immediately lifted a gag order that had prevented authorities from discussing the case.

"Austin Sigg was going to be found guilty to all charges he pleaded to today. There has been justice for Jessica Ridgeway," said District Attorney Peter Weir.

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Sigg was arrested on Oct. 23, 2012 after his mother, Mindy Sigg, called and told police that her son had killed Jessica. During her testimony in July, Sigg's mother said her son wanted to surrender and told his brother that he wanted to be punished.

In August, Munsinger ruled that jurors would be able to hear nearly all of the graphic and incriminating statements Sigg made to police during the two days after his arrest.

Disturbing testimony by investigators, doctors and other law enforcement revealed other details about Jessica's death.

Jessica disappeared on Oct. 5, 2012, after she said goodbye to her mother and began her walk to her Westminster school.

Parts of her body were found days later in a field in Arvada. Weeks after her disappearance, more of her remains were found in a crawl space at Sigg's home.

Sigg faced an array of charges in Jessica's death, including three counts of first-degree felony murder, kidnapping charges, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child. Prosecutors say that more than a year before Jessica disappeared, Sigg started viewing violent photographs and videos of children being raped and tortured.

Sigg also was charged in an attack on a jogger at Ketner Lake on Memorial Day weekend 2012.

In July, Munsinger severed the two charges connected with the attack at Ketner Lake — attempted kidnapping and a violent crime involving a weapon — and ruled that those charges will go forward as a separate trial.

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